We’ve just returned from a wonderful week on the Exmoor border in Somerset. We stayed in a serenely stylish, converted 18th Century Granary in the tiny hamlet of Raddington. I have never stayed in a more idyllic and isolated location. Six miles from the nearest village, we were cut off from the world by some very skinny West Country lanes. With only sheep, buzzards and each other for company we truly enjoyed the peace and beauty of the English country-side surrounding us.

I really enjoy holidaying in England and have been to many self-catering properties, but attention to detail (as well the loco) is what made this house stand out from the rest. It has a distinct French Farm House feel with eclectic furniture and lovely little extras like candles, fresh flowers, farm eggs and home-made shortbread, which made us feel truly welcome.

The kids saving grace was the fantastic 70 foot long play-barn. Kitted out with a huge trampoline, table tennis, darts, swing rope, ride-on tractor and trike etc. Lets just say we knew where to find them!

The aim of our little holiday was to relax in our whole 60 acres, so we didn’t do an awful lot. But what we did do we thoroughly enjoyed, so here’s my little guide of favourite family outings that North Somerset & Devon has to offer:

Places to Visit

The small fishing village of Ilfracombe sits on a dramatic, rugged coastline. It has a pretty little harbour with much of what you’d generally expect; plenty of fish ‘n’ chip shops and ice-cream parlours. Also worth noting is a neat row of houses with front garden cafés which make a delightful setting for a delicious Cream Tea in the sunshine.

Other cool places here are Tunnels Beaches and Damien Hirst’s restaurant, 11 The Quay (yes it’s his home town if you hadn’t already guessed). Be sure to also check out Damien’s Verity, I promise you won’t miss her.

Just around the coast-line from Ilfracombe is its sandy neighbour, Woolacombe Bay. This three-mile long stretch of golden beach has won both the blue flag and Premier Seaside awards for its cleanliness, water quality and facilities. Popular with body boarders, I promised to bring my little man back with a wet suit when he was old enough.

Leo’s favourite day was by far the trip on the West Somerset Railway. Run entirely by extremely keen volunteers, your journey starts in Bishops Lydeard just outside Taunton and winds its way through the country towards and along the coast, finishing at Minehead. I’m not old enough to have ever travelled by steam but it brought back fond memories of travelling to and from school on trains with the old swing door carriages and squishy Moquette seats. We broke the ride to ‘whet our whistles’ at the harbour village of Watchett, then jumped back on and continued to Minehead. If Minehead is a bit brash for you, Blue Anchor is smaller, prettier and popular with young families.

If like us you enjoy family walks, Tarr Steps will keep the kids interested. Take a picnic and towel to enjoy the medieval clapper bridge across the River Barle in the Exmoor National Park. The simplest walk in the surrounding woodland will take about an hour.

For picture postcard Somerset, Dunster village with its Castle and Yarn Market ticks all the boxes. There are plenty of cosy pubs, knick-knack shops and again, Cream Tea cafés to keep you busy for a morning.

Then, in the afternoon treat the kids to a visit to Wivey Pool. It’s a small, open-air swimming pool in the village of Wivlescombe, organised by the community, for the community. It costs just £13 for a family swim.

As soon as my little man started to match up objects with names, I can safely say farm animals have definitely taken up most fingers on the handful of words in his new vocabulary and remain the firm favourites. Learning the funny little meanings as he progresses from the sounds they make to the actual names is very amusing and super cute.

So when I heard Martin Lewis on ITV Daybreak tell me about Open Farm Sunday, which sees UK farmers open their agricultural gates for the public to experience true farm life, I was straight on the site and punching in my postcode to find the nearest participating open day.

Running since 2006 by national charity LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), Open Farm Sunday is fantastic (cheap) day out for the family. It gives us Joe public types a better understanding of how important our British Farmers are and how hard they work with nature to produce good food with environmental care.

We went to Glovers Farm in Kent, a fantastic farm which has been in the Glover family for 100 years!

We saw chickens, piglets (possibly just small pigs), cows and sheep. Bunnies you could handle, cute yellow ducklings that were for sale (yes I wanted one) and the biggest turkey I’ve ever seen. I’m not thinking about where he might be come Dec 25th. What else? Goats, lambs and lastly, ponies to ride.

We watched sheep sheering and sausage-making demonstrations plus there were plenty of activity stalls, face painting and small ride-on tractors to keep us entertained. My step-daughter made a flowerpot bug house to take home. Local fresh produce and country ale/wine stalls kept us grown-ups happy.

My favourite activity was the bumpy tractor-trailor ride. Ed the Farmer told us just what hard work goes into growing and processing crops, which in this instance was oats and rapeseed. I didn’t realise what a long drawn out process it is and how it can so easily be destroyed in such little time by the elements and nature. Did you know that a flock of pigeons can take out a whole field of rape in just two days if Ed’s not careful?!

The day finished off nicely for me by watching the joy in my son’s face as he sat, steered and changed gear in a big red, real- life “dictor” that’s “tractor” to you and me.

So be sure to put Sunday 8th June 2014 in you diary for next year and start looking out to buy food carrying the LEAF logo. I’ve done both!